River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-04-21
MADISON LETTER.
April Is, 1887.


am diSinclined 10 join with such papers as th'
Madison Democrat in an unqualified cOndem
| nation Of the body as wh0le,it is nevertheless
true that observing men Otau parties experienced
a feeling of relief in the departure Of our law
makers 10 their respective homes, ana 10 the re
sumption OF interrupted vocalions Tor whici
aptitude and TX pericnce have better qualified
them than for the responsible business OF IRAN
ing laws for the government Of great cvnon
wealth. That tins feeling of relief should bt
felt AT the departure Of those who are elected t
represent the people aud conserve their interests
is a sad commentary upon either the Judgement
of the communities which have sent them, or up.
on the character of those subsequently, upon
both. Certain il Is that the record If the session
just closed is one 10 challenge the serious con.
sideration OF the tax layers OF the state. II
ought 10 influence tie selection of the mex
legislature materially in the choice OF men who
viii not be deaf t. the demands OF their con
sttuents, white lending an open ear to the
solicitations OF the paid lobbyists OF designing
men or corporations.
DO not thul il Is charged by any one that
the members # the present legislature are
yenial. in the se'se that they have been pur-
chased, or were purchasable by open tender OF
money.
Ii may however, be asserted, without fear OF
successful contradiction that as a body, they
have been ignorant a score of bills having been
recalled after having passed both houses, for
correction IN material points, 10 save the veto
which would have necessarily followed the
neg lect 10 SO recall They have been entirely
selfish, the whole history Of the pass question
being a succession Of pitiable dOublings and
minded men, that they might avail thom-
selves of a questionable privilege, while
lodging direct vote which should pace them
individually upon record voting for
measure which they could not, and cannot as
II Is, justify by any argument, however spa
ciOus They have been dishonest in pocketing
milage 70 which they are not entitled-a species
of dishonesty which is justified in custom, but
not in morality. They have laid themselves
liable 10 the charge Of having been bought by
the railroads OF the state by killing every bin
which in any way cOnfiicted with the interests OF
81 n corporations, or that favored the people as
opposed TO railway interests. They are charge
able with disregard OF their constituents in
terests IN fayOriug the schemes Of lobbyists
whose only objective was the state treasury.
These are serious indictments, and yet they are
susceptible Of proof The only witness neces-
sary Is the Les islatiye record.
tit IL aske why. if all these charges are true,
a greater number OF vicious bills were not en-
acted into Ia ~ and why the treasury was not
LETT bankrupt, would say that the influence OF
a few honest, conscientious and able men in the
body itself had a tendency 20 keep back the
tide OF wasteIulness, but the greatest repressiye
influence Is 20 be found in the executive office.
Governor Rusk has Kept a watchtul eye upon
the legislature. and has in many cases found
way 10 cut OF vicious legislation before il passed
both houses, by quiet hint as 10 what would
be its tate If IL came 70 him. and in many other
cases a like hint has led 10 joint resolution
asking the return Of bills after having passed
both houses and their subsequent amendment
or indefinite PUstpOnment. The Governor has
this winter more than justified his reputation as
d lear-hedded, deep-thinking and economical
executive officer. The record Of his past tive
years has not been belied, nor have his friends
been disappointed in him.
Among the few men in the senate entitled
10 special credit for watchfulness of the
peoples interests are senators Pond Kidd,
Ware and Wechselberg Senator Pond rep
resents the twenty-seyenth district, COM
posed OF Adams, Columbia and Marquette
counties. He Is by profession iarmer-an
honest farmer 20 use term that u often DeLed
in legislators to whom the title is applied, and
nowhere Oftener than in the present body. lie
l. u man OF the people, with an academic educa-
ton for a foundation, 10 which is added the
prOverbial sagacity of the 'down-ea easter, he
having been born in New York state,-and the
experience of four years of active service in the
army and consequent knowledge OF men which
such experience brings. During the session ne
has been home but three times, while many
Others were absent from Friday noon until Mon
Gay evening every week. He has closely stud
leu the bills which have come before him, at
tended 10 the drudgery of committee work, and
kept himself posted as TO all that was going.
forward, he has ably and consistently favored
oils IN the interests OF the people, ana as ably
ana vigorously opposed the schemes for private
enrichment at the expense OF the people. To
senators Pond, Kidd, Ware aud Mechselberg be-
longs the credit of having defeated the Geological
Reprint steal, after il had passed the Assembly
II had there been killed once but the persistent
and unblushing lobbying Of the state printer
and his satellites, coupled with whatever other
influence Is unknown, resulted in the hndin6
of thirty four members of the lower house who
were willing 10 put the state 10 the expense OF
thousand dollars for the benefit ofa single cor
pOratiOn. When il reached the senate, although
the machinery of the senate was impressed To
unduly favor the scheme, il was SO determindly
aud successfully fought by senators named
above, senators Kidd and Pond speaking as well
as working against il. that II was defeated. II
is asserted that there has not been for years SO
strong or so persistent lobby IN favor OF any
raid upon the treasury tins one commanded.
Senator Kidd, who represents Grant county,
the sixteenth senatorial district, resides at Mill
vile, " here he was born in 1919, and IS there
fore a Wisconsin man ia every sense. he also
received a common school anu academic educa-
ton, was soldier who served in Gov. Rusks
regiment, the . Wisconsin, and with II marched
with sherman 10 the sea" He IS miller by
profession. He also has attended TO the bust
ness for which he was elected, faithfully ana
we'll As chairman Of the Senate JOINT Com
mittee on claims he has been enabled TO shut out
''claims" amounting TO hundreds OF thousand OF
senator Ward is a young mana "down-easter''
born in Maine in lS49 graduate OF Lawrence
University, at Appleton, a lawyer by profession,
was member ofthe Assembly in 1850, ISL and
1888 was chairman of the Senate Judiciary
Committee in 1885. His legislative record Is
good one, and his attention 70 the business TOT
which he was elected and his determined oppo-
sition 10 everything savOripg of corruption, has
fully warranted the confidence which the peo-
pie of the Eighteenth, Fond du Lac, district,
repOse in him. II is to be hoped that ne Will
again be returned 70 the senate Where MS eN-
perienCe and courage make him valuable
member not only 10 his own district, but 70 the
whole people of the state.
Senator Wechselberg is as his name indicates,
a native of Germany. where he received COM
mon school education. He came 10 Milwaukee
in 1915, where he has held Offices of trust Was
elected State Senator in 1884, and was chairman
on the Committee on Finance Banks and lnsur-
auce, which position he has also held during the
present session. As one of the representatives
Of the great city of Milwaukee, the sixth sena-
tOrial district he has intelligently and faith
fully attended TO the great amount OF business
which has been committed 10 his care, and has
at all times been relied upon by the friends OF
economy az ready 70 stand between the treasury
and the multitude Of spectators who have this
winter attacked IT,
The work Of the session has been immense.
and without precedent for volume. In the As
sembly $50 bills. and in the Senate 3g6 bills were
introduced, in addition to which over 200 reso-
lutiOns and memorials to Congress were origin
ated and acted upon. OF the l2s5 bills intro
duced, $40 were passed. OF which $50 became
laws Eleven yetOes were sent TO the legislature
BY Gov. Rusk, all of which were UNANIMOUSLY
sustained. Twelve bills failed to become laws
for lack Of the Governors signature, he having
fled memorandum Of objections in each case.
The extraordinary appropriations amount 70
about 81 GO for the two years ending Jan. l.
lSsg. The amount of "claims" killed foot up a
positive 100000, with possibilities carrying II
TO over million dollars Those figures do not IN
clude the running expenses OF the state govern
ment. nor the legislative expenses The latter
for ninety days, amounts TO about Sl2',O0O,
which is paying pretty high for the few good
laws which have been enacted
Under the new apOrtiOnmeut Pierce and st.
St CrOix counties constitute a senatorial dis
trict This is in every way satisfactory. We
are not tied 10 a county OF section whose inter
ests are in no way parallel with our own, and
the politicians Of which are not in sympathy
with our own. II is TO be hoped that the people
OF the two counties will unite in an amicable
agreement to send only the best men to the leg
stature and that sufficient interest viii be felt
bv the taxpayers To select such men to represent
them Both ST. CrOix and Pierce have been for
tunate in having been represented by gentlemen
who are counted in the saving element of this
session Both may have made mistakes-as IN
my judgement they have in voting for meAsu res
which were % private rather than Of public
interest: but both are able, and undoubtedly
willing 10 give a reason for their action, and
are accountable only 10 their constituents for
such action. If our two counties always do as
well in tbs choice ofmen, they viii not greatly
/ err. Il. b. NJ
Gilman.
| Grass is appearing.